A few observations from the Emirates experience (1 Viewer)

shy_tall_knight · Jan 26, 2014

Got to a pub near Highbury & Islington tube at about 5.00 Friday evening. Pub was mostly arsenal but it was Cov doing all the singing. The walk up to the ground was like the old days at Highfield road when there was a big game on busy streets traffic walking past busy pubs all part of the matchday experience. The Ricoh walk up was ok but walking along canals or dual carriageways or through shopping centres will never be the same. Walking to and out of town stadium in a Warwickshire industrial estate will be even worse.

first time at the Emirates but like Highbury there is a clear link between the football club and the community. Spurs are to build a new stadium, although they contemplated the olympic stadium they would never move from North London into Hertfordshire even though it would be cheaper to build a stadium and potentially more convenient for their out of town fans but they won't.

cov will never be as big a club as arsenal in terms of fan base or history but their ground move was properly thought out for the long term benefit of the club but in conjunction with their community our move was a wasted opportunity that could ultimately lead to the demise of the club.

letsallsingtogether · Jan 26, 2014

Got to agree used to love going into town for a drink on a Saturday then walking along Far Gosford street to the Ground watching your back for rival fans.

But it was part of the match day experience.

chiefdave · Jan 26, 2014

I like the Emirates, think Arsenal have done a good job of making a new bowl stadium feel like home. That said a lot of what they've done could be replicated at the Ricoh. Things like the flags with former players on lampposts approaching the ground, the building wraps and similar could easily be implemented at a minimal cost and of course could be taken down if required for non CCFC events.

Their match day experience is pretty good as well, the stuff on the screen before the game and the stuff they put online afterwards is all pretty impressive and you would think relatively cheap to do.

Ashdown1 · Jan 26, 2014

Coventry will evolve around the Ricoh, it already has. It's not in the heart of the City but even since it was built there has been a lot of new development, besides, a relatively small investment in a train stop would have pulled it closer to the City Centre for many. The stadium needs success and a stint in the Premiership and it's place in peoples memories will soon become more positive. In 10 or 15 years folk will have more or less stopped reminiscing for HR and a new generation of fans will have warmth for the Arena in CV6..............well, if the cunty hedge fund ever let us get back there of course !

M&B Stand · Jan 26, 2014

If we ever get a sterile fan base like that I'll give up.

Ashdown1 · Jan 26, 2014

Why 'Sterile'.................Government laws have made things sterile if anything. The stadium shall only ever be what the fans make it though !

Ashdown1 · Jan 26, 2014

Sorry, perhaps you meant Arsenal?

Sky Blue Pete · Jan 26, 2014

That's if the owners gave a monkeys

Pete in Portugal · Jan 26, 2014

Ashdown1 said:
Coventry will evolve around the Ricoh, it already has. It's not in the heart of the City but even since it was built there has been a lot of new development, besides, a relatively small investment in a train stop would have pulled it closer to the City Centre for many. The stadium needs success and a stint in the Premiership and it's place in peoples memories will soon become more positive. In 10 or 15 years folk will have more or less stopped reminiscing for HR and a new generation of fans will have warmth for the Arena in CV6..............well, if the cunty hedge fund ever let us get back there of course !

Unfortunately, that's a pretty big "IF" Ashdown, or maybe it should be "WHEN"?

thaiskyblue · Jan 26, 2014

M&B Stand said:
If we ever get a sterile fan base like that I'll give up.

most grounds of the top teams are the same, chelsea now, you can hear the players just like a reserve game when i was a kid, its the new breed of fans .

Steve.B50 · Jan 26, 2014

I think its the best stadium I have ever been to in the UK, but parking an eating establishments were limited, most would not even let us in, even though we were couples.
The one thing I have enjoyed about Div 1 is being able to find a place to have a drink and chat with genuine opposition supporters.

Tommystours · Jan 26, 2014

Steve you didn't do your research. Last year got train to euston ,tube to angel loads of pubs all the way up the road , restaurants , Chinese Indian fish and chips.
This year minibus , rent my drive 15 mins from ground . Driver dropped us at the Hope and Anchor,upper street, phoned ahead away fans welcome , city and arsenal fans inside. Adults and kids allowed in , males and females. Met some great young dudes from Cov, had a discussion outside about them going to six fields . 15 minutes to ground by high bury station.great day.

Tommystours · Jan 26, 2014

Best stadiums , Ricoh Arena, Casino and facilities top dollar, Wembley,superb apart from slight lack of atmosphere.Emirates, but under the stand facilities not too good.

wingy · Jan 26, 2014

Tommystours said:
Best stadiums , Ricoh Arena, Casino and facilities top dollar, Wembley,superb apart from slight lack of atmosphere.Emirates, but under the stand facilities not too good.

Dunno .....looks like you can hold a dance down there.

Jack Griffin · Jan 26, 2014

Ashdown1 said:
Coventry will evolve around the Ricoh, it already has. It's not in the heart of the City but even since it was built there has been a lot of new development, besides, a relatively small investment in a train stop would have pulled it closer to the City Centre for many. The stadium needs success and a stint in the Premiership and it's place in peoples memories will soon become more positive. In 10 or 15 years folk will have more or less stopped reminiscing for HR and a new generation of fans will have warmth for the Arena in CV6..............well, if the cunty hedge fund ever let us get back there of course !

New buildings keep going up on arena park.. there isn't a lot of land left on the Tesco site.

wingy · Jan 26, 2014

Jack Griffin said:
New buildings keep going up on arena park.. there isn't a lot of land left on the Tesco site.

Were there stories of someone buying up the land opposite where the Scrappers and Industrial estate are last year?

Steve.B50 · Jan 26, 2014

Tommystours said:
Steve you didn't do your research. Last year got train to euston ,tube to angel loads of pubs all the way up the road , restaurants , Chinese Indian fish and chips.
This year minibus , rent my drive 15 mins from ground . Driver dropped us at the Hope and Anchor,upper street, phoned ahead away fans welcome , city and arsenal fans inside. Adults and kids allowed in , males and females. Met some great young dudes from Cov, had a discussion outside about them going to six fields . 15 minutes to ground by high bury station.great day.

We did the same, rent my drive is a great idea, had a 15 seater from ABC. However, the walk to stadium took us past a few places but would not let us in, next time ( if ever ) we will jump on tube and go further away.
You are right, did not research enough or take into consideration the taffic.

Tommystours · Jan 26, 2014

We did ABC bus did you guys get stuck on holloway road.another bus had guys with animal heads on.bizaar

gooner · Jan 26, 2014

I miss highbury but as new stadiums go its up there with the best, total lack of atmosphere at most games except the derbies,man u and someone like barca,and for the first few years it felt awful and I guess until we win something there then it wont ever feel like home.

Ashdown1 · Jan 26, 2014

The sheer cost of attending The Emirates on a regular basis will have a large bearing on the type of supporter you get, the ordinary working man has been frozen out by market forces to a large extent.

thaiskyblue · Jan 26, 2014

most stadiums now days , West Ham against Man City was £46, they were 6 nil down for gods sake , get a grip.

Broken Hearted Sky Blue · Jan 26, 2014

Tommystours said:
We did ABC bus did you guys get stuck on holloway road.another bus had guys with animal heads on.bizaar

The Lions and the Donkey:claping hands:

Tommystours · Jan 26, 2014

That's the one we laughed our socks off and managed to sneak up the inside lane of the traffic jam .top guys

NoelWhelanKCIC · Jan 26, 2014

Tommystours said:
Steve you didn't do your research. Last year got train to euston ,tube to angel loads of pubs all the way up the road , restaurants , Chinese Indian fish and chips.
This year minibus , rent my drive 15 mins from ground . Driver dropped us at the Hope and Anchor,upper street, phoned ahead away fans welcome , city and arsenal fans inside. Adults and kids allowed in , males and females. Met some great young dudes from Cov, had a discussion outside about them going to six fields . 15 minutes to ground by high bury station.great day.

Hope and Anchor was fab. Had a nice pint and a meal before the game there - super

Broken Hearted Sky Blue · Jan 26, 2014

Tommystours said:
That's the one we laughed our socks off and managed to sneak up the inside lane of the traffic jam .top guys

We've had many outings from the zoo they usually try to keep the sheep away from us dont know why

Skyblue86 · Jan 26, 2014

I went up on Friday and I've got to say that, in terms of a match day experience it was perfect. We stopped at the twelve pins after getting off the coach and what a party there was there. The place was rammed, the service was slick and the place was buzzing, I've never experienced anything like it. The chant of "We all dream of team of Gary Breen's" had me in stitches. If you had to describe the perfect walk up to the ground from the pub then Friday was it, walking through the residential streets with every other fan, huge stalls selling memorabilia and such a buzz about the place.

The Erimates is an awesome stadium, everything from it's size to it's location, it's class. If you're a young Arsenal fan growing up now you're one lucky gunner. You instantly compare the Ricoh to it an it doesn't come close. IMO everything about Friday was amazing and hopefully we'll get the chance to go back one day.

Steve.B50 · Jan 26, 2014

First time we had gone to a game on a minibus for 20 years but must admit it was great, we are probably going yo do a few more away like this as the flexibility is ideal.

Como · Jan 26, 2014

Arsenal moved fro South London to North London.

West Ham were talking about moving outside the M25 at one time, which made sense actually.

Spurs are sort of stuck.

A few observations from the Emirates experience (1 Viewer)

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